February 5, 2016

IN THE NEWS Corporate money in network of right-wing state policy think tanks

(11/14/13) Rick Cohen, Non-Profit Quarterly Some years ago, in a study of foundation support for school privatization, we noted the multiplicity of state-level conservative “think tanks” supporting a pretty consistent state-to-state agenda, achieving widespread success in pushing for vouchers, corporate tax credits for private schools, and charter schools. We documented the grantmaking to these state think tanks, highlighting the significant …

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January 29, 2016

Mailer 1/27/16

  Heard about the ‘Freedom’ Foundation of the super rich? They want the freedom to attack the pay, benefits and retirement of public servants. Why? To make the rich richer. They did it in Wisconsin. Now they’re after us. They want to starve our union. How? Trick us into giving up our power by dropping our union membership and not …

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January 26, 2016

About the ‘Freedom’ Foundation

  The ‘Freedom’ Foundation is a special interest think tank funded by corporate and the ultra wealthy who want to dismantle state government, cut public services and jobs, and hand the provision of public services like education and worker’s compensation over to the hands of private corporations. They’ve set their sights on unions because we’re the biggest obstacle to their …

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January 24, 2016

Who funds the Freedom Foundation?

We know who funds WFSE. It’s us – public employees covered by contract. But where does the Foundation get its funding? Let’s take a closer look. FACT SHEET: FREEDOM FOUNDATION FUNDING SOURCES The Freedom Foundation is a “think tank” that states its mission is to “advance individual liberty, free enterprise, and limited, accountable government.”[i] The foundation is registered with the …

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January 12, 2016

Conservative workers should look to union for voice (Opinion)

January 12th, 2016 By: Alice Rogers  Special to The Olympian   Growing up in a conservative household in Walla Walla, I was taught the value of hard work, earning your own way, and working to improve the lives of others. I learned that even in America, no one is promised success; we have to fight for it. These are lessons …

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December 18, 2015

IN THE NEWS Oregon Union fight heats up

(12/8/15) Statesman Journal The Northwest Accountability Project has filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service asking to have the Freedom Foundation’s tax-exempt charity status revoked. The complaint is intensifying the battle over public unions in Oregon and Washington, and was co-signed by 18 organizations including labor unions and left-leaning activist groups. The Northwest Accountability Project was founded only weeks ago, and is intended to “shine a light on extremism” …

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December 17, 2015

IN THE NEWS Coalition of community and labor groups files IRS complaint against Freedom Foundation

(12/7/15) Northwest Accountability Project Coalition of community and labor groups files IRS complaint against Freedom Foundation for blatant violation of tax-exempt charity status Coalition calls for IRS to revoke Freedom Foundation’s 501(c)(3) status and end taxpayer subsidies of Freedom Foundation’s political campaign activities (Seattle, Was.) – Today, a broad coalition of community organizations in Washington and Oregon announced that they …

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November 30, 2015

IN THE NEWS Conservative podcast pulled after host laughs

(11/30/15)  Jim Brunner, Seattle Times political reporter The Freedom Foundation podcast host said he was not mocking the “possibly even Muslim” surname of a Washington state Democratic Party spokesman. A local conservative think tank has taken down a podcast in which the host and a Republican state lawmaker laughed at the Middle Eastern surname of a state Democratic Party spokesman. …

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November 25, 2015

IN THE NEWS State Rep laughs when Freedom Foundation podcaster makes fun of Lebanese surname

(11/25/15) Sydney Brownstone, SLOG Two weeks ago, after the attacks in Paris, Washington state representative Jay Rodne posted a typo-ridden comment on Facebook, saying Islam was “incompatible” with Western civilization and imploring Americans to “arm” themselves. Soon after, Democrats called for the Republican from Snoqualmie to be ousted from his position as ranking GOP member of the House Judiciary Committee. …

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October 14, 2015

IN THE NEWS AG’s office says Freedom Foundation broke campaign-finance laws

(10/14/15) Joseph O’Sullivan, Seattle Times Olympia bureau OLYMPIA — The Freedom Foundation, a conservative organization that has filed two campaign-finance complaints against labor unions that recently became lawsuits, is now itself the subject of a similar lawsuit. On Wednesday, the state Attorney General’s Office filed a lawsuit in Thurston County Superior Court alleging that the Freedom Foundation violated campaign- finance …

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